Antitheft device



ANTI THEFT DEVI CE Filed June 1. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 62 2121; 2215"JIM/V00 ATTORNEY July 24, 1928. 1,678,440

c. LEWANDO ANTITHEFT DEVICE Filed June 1, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 riiiPatented July 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LEW'ANDO, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ANTITHEFT :onvrcn.

Application filed. June 1,

This invention relates to improvements in anti-theft devices.

The primary object of the invention resides in an anti-theft device forautomobiles for preventing an unauthorized. person from making oil withthe automobile even though the engine of: the same may be running, andwhich is accomplished by the use of a lock adapted to be set by theowner of the automobile before alighting therefrom, which prevents theengagement of the transmission gears after the clutch pedal has beendepressed. and released.

Another object of the invention is to pror 'vide a device for lockingthe clutch pedal in a depressed position after the same has beendepressed to permit of the placing of the automobile in gear, and whichautomatically shuts oil the ignition system to stop the motor. andsimultaneously sounds an audible and. displays a visible alarm.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an antitheftdevice which may be applied to an automobile in a manner so as toconceal the same and not arouse the suspicion of a thief prior to hiseffort to place the automobile in motion.

A further object is to provide an antithei t device which is simple inconstruction, easy to apply to an automobile and positive of operation.

.Vith these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certainnovel construction and combination and arrangement of parts, theessential features of which are hereinafter fully described, areparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary verticalsectional view through the front body part of an automobile.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the clutch lockshowing thoposition of the parts in an unlocked position.

Figure 3 is a similar view but showing the clutch pedal locked in adepressed position.

Figure 4: is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line d d: ofFigure 2.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reterence numeraldesignates a portion of an automobile, of which the following well knownparts are pertinent to the application of my invention thereto,

1927. Serial No. 195,833.

namely, a front seat 11, floor board 12, front board 13 of the seatclutch pedal 14, and ignition switch 15, all of which are shown inFigure 1 of the drawings. My anti-theft device is shown in its entiretyas at 1.6 and is supported from the floor board 12 or front board 13 inany suitable manner.

The device 16 comprises a casing 17 having spaced brackets 18-18depending from the top wall thereof. Slidable between the brackets 1818is a block 19 of insulating material which is provided with an opening20 for registration with openings 21 pro vided in the brackets to permitof the free sliding movement of a rod 22 pivotally attached to theclutch pedal 14 by a clamp 23. The rod extends through an opening 24 inthe front wall of the casing and terminates short of the rear wall whenthe clutch pedal is in a normal position and the device is in an unsetposition. A metal rod 25 depends from the bottom of the block 19 and ispivoted thereto by a pin 26 having flat heads 27 and 28 disposed inrecesses 29 provided on the inner face of the bracket 18. An pansiblespring 30 encircles the rod 25 and has one end abutting the underside ofthe block 19 and the other end fixed to an electric terminal 31 providedin the bottom wall of the casing. It will be seen that the spring tendsto push upward upon the block 19, but is prevented from n'iovement whenthe device is in an unset position by the extended bolt 32 of a lockmechanism 33. fhe barrel of the lock extends through the board 13 toaccommodate a lrey 3 for controlling the actuation of the bolt 32.

From the description thus far, a driver when alighting from hisautomobile will turn the key 34. to retract the bolt 32 and then removethe key from the lock. lVe shall presume that he has parked theautomobile with the engine running, or that an unauthorized. person hasstarted the engine. In attempting to place the automobile in gear, theunauthorized person is compelled to depress the clutch pedal 14 whichcauses the movement of the end of the rod 22 to clear the block 19 shownin Figure 3 of the drawings. As the free end of the rod clears theblock. the spring 30 forces the block 19 upward so that the opening 20is out of alignment with the openings 21 in the brackets. The end of therod therefore abuts the block and is prevented from turther movementwhich stops the return movement of the clutch pedal, thereby preventingthe meshing of the driving or t 'ansmission gears. Before starting theaucon'iobile the owner inserts the key 3 into the lock and extends thebolt 32 to cause the same to depress the block 19 against the action ofhe spring 30 to cause the opening 20 to register with the openings 21whereupon the rod 22 is permitted to return to normal position.

F or operation with the clutch look, 1 cmploy a means for opening theignition circuit of the automobile, and an audibie and visible alarmwhich are operable upon depression of the clutch pedal when the clutchlock set for operation.

Disposed within one of the recesses 29 in the block 10 is a springcontact 35 and which engages the head 27 of the contact pin 26 when theblock is in a depressed position. This contact is connected with a wire36 leading to the ignition switch 15 while the terminal 31 connectedwith the battery 37 which parts are arranged in the ignition circuit 38.It will be seen that when the clutch locl: is in an unset position, theignition circuit is closed by the contacts 27 and 35. but should theclutch lock be actuated to allow the block 19 to inov upward, the ign ifcircuit is opened which immediately so off the motor and the same cannotbe started until the clutch lock is set to normal tion.

Disposed within th other recess 28 top thereof a spring contact 39 whichpart of an alarm circuit 40 and with which the contact 28 engages toclose the circuit. Also arangged in the alarm circuit 4.0 is a light +11which in v illuminate a sign such as Thiet or the like. and the horn 42of the automobile and the battery 37. when the clutch lock is in normalposition. the alarm circuit is open but upon actuation oi t same to lockthe clutc moves inward nursing the cen to on; act S9 and clos therebysounding, 1 the light 4-1 to attract "he attci owner-or police.

posinine and attracts the attr .tion of the o'ice or owner so that theculpritoi If thettt may he caught.

Yfhile I have shown and described what- 1 consider to be the mostdesirable embodiment of n invention, it is obvious that many of thedetails may be varied without in any .arting from the spirit of myinvenl l therefore do not imit myself to the exact details of construeion herein set to an thing less than the whole of my 'nvci pended claiaWhat is cla med 1 cw 1. in an an l thctt device the combination with thechi nodal ot' a motor vehicle, a rod ea 1Lll1 ieretronr, z. bearing forthe end of s rorh an obstructing men'ibe-r littViP-f) with sav iercinfor the ough spring niea a net: in li'lOlHHOl to move th l i "noting postion and key trolled nechanisin itor rendering said ohetine; membe respox and unresponve to the action of said spring means upon ion of aidclutch pedal to a position to cause the free end ol said rod to clearsaid evening.

2. J lll an thefteevice comprising a casiig' hr ving a rod extendingtherein, said rod adz: ted to be attached to the clutc 1 pedal of a ntor vehicle For reciproczton within said :a'ir of spaced bearings withinsaid receiving the free end of said rod, )structing blocl: slidablymounted intergs and having" an opening the passage of said rod, and

s actin against said obstructn or to more the same to an obstructingposition upon n'iovcm #nt of said rod to a rosition to clea saidopening.

iing av casi, sud rod a )0 attached to the clntc i penal of l icle forreciprocation within said air of spaced bearings within said 1'receiving the tree end of said rou mounted into- 1 openiin 2d, spriir'and i therein I01 the pa sage or said re moans acting against sa'd obsctingg men:- her to move the same to an obs-iructingposition uponmovement of said rod to a. position to clear said opening, and keycontrolled mechanism for u'evcnt ng movement o t said 'ir member ar a 1ill oMstri-ct inst the action oi said spring means to pcrni o e tree1noveiid r d in either in.

